MEMORY FORMATION - Molekylærbiologi · • Stereotaxic surgery • Cloning and virus production...

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Transcript of MEMORY FORMATION - Molekylærbiologi · • Stereotaxic surgery • Cloning and virus production...

MEMORY FORMATIONat Synaptic and Circuit Levels

Methods• Stereotaxic surgery• Cloning and virus production• Optogenetics• Rodent behavioral studies • Brain slice and in-vivo electrophysiology• In-vivo 2-photon imaging

Sadegh Nabavi Lab snabavi@dandrite.au.dk, Aarhus University 1182-205

Background

The idea that changes in synaptic strength (synapticplasticity) is the foundation of memory and learning has along history. For this reason Long Term Potentiation (LTP)and Long Term Depression (LTD), the electrophysiologicalmanifestations of synaptic plasticity, have been intenselystudied. However, the proof of causality, that by changingsynaptic strength one can remove and reinstate a memory,had been missing.

Research Description

The amygdala, the fear cente r of the brain, plays a central role inmemory consolidation.

OptogeneticsIn order to define the mechanism of memory formation wewant to use reverse engineering. The shock and tonepairing will be replaced with stimulation of the inputprojections to the amygdala. This will be done byactivation of specific brain regions with light.

Viral LabelingThrough injection of labeled viruses into certain brainregions, we want to define which cells project to whichtargets

http://sites.bu.edu/ombs/tag/optogenetics/

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